Control panel and support for domestic appliances



y 1, 1966 c. F. CZECH 3,253,874

CONTROL PANEL AND SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC APPLIANCES Filed June 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CLIFFORD F. 622m 63: W,4,7W,1/J4 calm C. F. CZECH May 31, 1966 CONTROL PANEL AND SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC APPLIANCES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1964 A'r'rvs,

United States Patent ware Filed June 11, 1964, Ser. No. 374,458

Claims. (Cl. 312-257) I The present invention relates to an improved housing for acontrol panel and is particularly adapted for use in laundry appliances and other domestic appliances such as stoves, ovens, and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a control panel and support which is quickly and easily assembled and disassembled.

Another object is the provision of a control panel assembly having parts which are easily fabricated at low cost and which are substantially self-alining.

A further object is the provision of an assembly and support easily adapted to varying sets of controls and control indicia.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an easily assembled and disassembled control panel assembly adapted to function as a backsplash for a laundry machine or similar appliance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a laundry machine illustrating a control panel housing and backsplash embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the control panel and housing of FIG. 1;

'FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial rear view of the control panel frame;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the control panel frame;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a frame element; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the frame element of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the present invention is illustrated in connection with a combined control panel and backsplash 10 for a clothes washing machine which is enclosed in a substantially rectangular cabinet 11 having side panels 12 and a horizontal top panel 14. In the particular machine illustrated an access or loading opening is provided in the top panel 14 for loading clothes into a top opening wash tub (not shown). covers the loading opening. At the rear of the top panel 14 is located the combined control panel and backsplash 10 which prevents water from splashing behind the cabinet and carries various controls for regulating the machine. Such controls in a washing machine are a timer .17 and time switches for sequentially controlling the washing operations, and additional switches 18 for controlling water temperature, speed of agitation, and the like. In other appliances the controls may include, for example, dryness controls and air temperature switches as used in laundry dryers, and timers and adjustable thermostats for ovens or stoves.

In the present instance the cambined backsplash and control panel 10 is supported by a housing 20 which encloses and protects both control elements and water inlet connections to the tub. The top 21 and ends 22 of the housing are formed of a single strip of sheet metal the center portion of which constitutes the flat horizontal top 21 of the housing and bent down end portions constitute vertical end walls 22. All edges of the strip, including front, back and bottom edges, are bent inwardly to pro- A hinged door 15 v overlies and engages the marginal edge portion of the Patented May 31, 1966 vide flanges 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. The flanges 27 at the bottoms of the end walls 22 are apertured as at 29 to receive screws 30 or other fasteners for attaching the housing to the top panel 14 of the cabinet. The downwardly directed flange 28 at the top rear edge and the inwardly directed flanges of the rear edges 26 of the end walls provide abutting surfaces for' a vertical rear panel 33 which is connected to the flanges by suitable fasteners. If desired, the forward edges of the end Walls 22 and the inwardly di rected flanges 25 thereon may slope upwardly and rearwardly from the top panel 14 of the cabinet. Against these flanges 25 and the downwardly directed flange 24 on the front edge of the housing top 21 is placed the control panel assembly. The resulting slope of the control panel permits the positions of the control handles to be seen more easily.

The backsplash and control panel assembly in the preferred form of the drawings includes a support plate 35, a control panel 36, and an attaching framework 38. The support plate 3 5 is of sheet metal and has an outline con forming to that of the front of the housing 20. Suitable holes and bosses are provided in the support plate for mounting the necessary control elements. The elements 71, 18 are positioned on the rear side of the plate 35 with the control shafts 40, 41 projecting forwardly through the plate. In front of the support plate 35 and of substantially the same outline is the control panel 36. The latter provides additional protection for the controls and also provides a means for interchanging control indicia and for decorating the panel, if desired. For corrosion resistance and long lasting appearance the control panel is advantageously made of glass having proper indicia printed on the back side and holes formed in proper positions to receive the operating shafts of the control elements.

Surrounding the support plate 35 and control panel 36 is the framework 38 which holds the plate and panel in alined juxtaposed position and connects the entire assembly to the control housing 20. The framework 38 comprises a series of elongated frame members 44 connected end to end to produce an outline complementary to the shape of the support plate and control panel. The in dividual frame elements 44 have a face portion 45 which front surface of the control panel 36 and a flange or leg portion 46 which overlies the edges of the support plate 35 and control panel 36.

The face or rim portion 45 has a rearwardly facing wall or ledge which engages a marginal area around the front surface of the control panel 36 for restraining the panel from falling forward. The flange or leg portion 46 has an inwardly facing wall or n'm which overlies and conceals the edges of the support plate 35 and control panel 36. The ledge and rim portions 45, 46 of the frame elements 44 are at approximately right angles to each other, although somewhat larger angles could be used if desired. The line of intersection or junction of the ledge and rim may, if desired, be relieved or have an undercut 48 to provide space for burrs or ragged edges on the support plate or control panel, as well as to eliminate the necessity for an accurately formed sharp inside corner,

In order to secure the support plate 35 and control panel 36 in the framework 38, threaded fasteners 50 are used to permit convenient removal and replacement of the plate and panel. To provide for the use of screws and like threaded fasteners with a minimum of labor, the frame elements 44 are formedwith a rearwardly opening longitudinal groove 51 in the ledge'portion 45 which overlies the marginal area of the contr-ol panel. Notches 52 are formed in the marginal area of the support plate and controlpanel to receive the shanks ofthe screws 50. A notch 52 is provided for each fastener to be used. For example, four screws 50 may be used along the top and bottom of the panel and one at each end. The notches 52 in the support plate and panel are in alinement and have a depth suflicient to expose the underlying groove 51 in the frame element. With this construction the shank of the screw fastener 50 passes forwardly through the notches into the groove 51 of the frame element 44 and the head of the fastener engages the back side of the support plate 35 surrounding the notch.

To hold the threaded fastener 50 in the groove, each side wall forming the groove 51 has inwardly projecting ribs or ridges 54, 55 forming flutes therebetween and spaced apart a distance equal to the pitch of the threads on the fastener 50. Opposing ribs or ridges 54, 55 are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the root diameter of the fastener and preferably are offset by one-half the pitch of the thread. This construction provides a rectilinear means for receiving and holding a screw threaded fastener anywhere along the length of the groove. The ribs 54, 55 in the groove project between threads on the screw on opposite sides of the shank in a manner generally tangential to the root of the threads.

The foregoing construction permits the use of relatively low cost extruded strips for the frame elements 44 and eliminates the necessity of drilling and threading individual holes for the fasteners. Since the fastening groove extends from end to end of each member, accuracy of alinement is obviated. In commercial production the elimination of drilling, threading and alignment operations permits larger tolerances to be specified and a consequent saving in cost of manufacture and assembly.

7 The control panel assembly 35, 36, 38 is positioned to enclose the open front of the housing 20, and the rearwardly extending flanges 46 of the frame elements 44 have suflicient width to overlap the front portions of the end walls 22 and top wall 21 of the housing. The overlapping relationship closes the joint between the control panel and the housing to give added protection and improved appearance.

For mounting the control panel assembly on the housing a mounting bar or bracket 60 extends across the lower part of the front opening in the housing. The mounting bar 60 in the construction of the drawing rests on the top panel 14 of the washer cabinet and is generally in line with the flanges on the end walls 22 of the housing. Fasteners 61 passing through holes 62 in the ends of the bar 60 secure it to the top panel. The forward edge portion of the mounting bar has an upstanding rib 63 with lugs or projections 64 spaced at intervals along the length of the bar. These lugs 64 are received in mating slots 65 in the flange of the bottom element of the control panel frame, and when engaged hold the bottom of the control assembly in position on the housing.

To allow the flange 46 of the bottom frame element 44 to extend into the opening between the housing end walls 22, the flange has a cut-out or notch 67 adjacent its ends for receiving the front edges and flanges 25 of the housing end wall. The end portions of the mounting bar 60 are similarly relieved by cut-out portions 66 to accommodate the bottom flanges 25 on the end walls.

After the control panel assembly frame 38 has been slipped over the mounting bar lugs 64, the top of the assembly is pushed rearwardly until the support plate is substantially parallel with the front edges of the housing end walls 22. The assembly is held in this position and secured by threaded fasteners, such as selftapping screws 68 which pass through mating holes 69, 70 in the flange 46 of the top frame element and in the top wall 21 of the housing.

The control panel assembly described herein is easily removed for inspection and servicing of the controls by simply reversing the mounting operation which includes the removal of only two screw fasteners 68. After the fasteners are removed the front panel assembly is tipped forward and lifted off the lugs 64 on the mounting bar 60. It is thus seen that the present invention provides a control panel assembly and housing which is relatively low in cost but at the same time is both ornamental and easily assembled and disassembled for servicing of the controls.

I claim as my invention:

1. A control panel housing comprising in combination a housing member having an open front portion, a control panel member disposed across said open front portion, an interconnecting frame between said control panel and said housing, said frame including edge members having a rearwardly extending portion and an inwardly extending rim, said rearwardly extending portions being positioned to surround said control panel member and said housing member adjacent the open front portion thereof, said control panel having a plurality of indentations in the edge thereof, panel mounting fasteners extending forwardly through said indentations, said frame edge members having longitudinally extending grooves in a rear surface thereof, the side faces of said grooves having longitudinally extending ridges projecting into said grooves and spaced apart to receive and hold the forward end of said panel fasteners to secure said panel to said frame, a lower frame support extending across the lower part of said open front of said housing and having upstanding lugs, the bottom one of said frame members having slots to receive said lugs for holding the bottom of said frame in position, and the upper section of said frame having fastening means for holding the upper section of said frame relative to said housing member.

2. A control panel housing and backsplash for a laundry appliance comprising in combination an inverted U-shaped housing member including a top wall and depending end walls and inturned flanges at the forward edges of said walls, a control panel positioned in front of said housing against said flanges, a supporting frame for said panel including a rim portion overlying the front marginal portions of said panel and a rearwardly extending flange portion surrounding the edges of said panel, a frame support member extending between the lower front edges of said end walls and having upwardly extending lugs thereon, apertures in the bottom flange portions of said frame for slidably receiving said lugs to hold the bottom of said frame in position, additional apertures in the top flange portion and fasteners passing through said additional apertures for connecting said frame to the top of said housing.

3. A control panel housing and backsplash for an appliance having a top panel comprising in combination an inverted U-shaped member including a flat top wall and depending end walls, each of said walls having inwardly extending flanges on the front edges, said end walls also having inwardly extending bottom flanges fastened to the top panel of the appliance, and elongated control panel support member extending between said bottom flanges having a horizontal ledge fastened to the top panel of the appliance and an upstanding portion extending across the lower section of the front opening of said U-shaped member, a rectangular frame member having a surrounding rearwardly extending flange and an inwardly extending rim, said rim defining a rearwardly opening groove in the rear face thereof, ridges on said rim portion projecting into said groove from the respective sides thereof, said ridges being spaced to correspond to the threads of a screw and the ridges on the respective sides being offset from each other, a control panel positioned in said frame in abutting relation to the rear face of said rim, a support panel positioned behind said control .panel and adapted to support control elements, said control in said grooves, the bottom flange portion of said rectangular frame member having a plurality of lengthwise slots, said panel support member having an upstanding portion extending across the lower section of the front opening of said U-shaped member for supporting said bottom flange portion and having upstanding lugs spaced to enter said slots for holding the bottom of said frame in position relative to the front of said U-shaped member, the top flange portion of said frame member having apertures therein, and screw fasteners passing through said apertures and threadably engaging said top wall for holding the top of'said frame in position.

4. A control panel housing and backsplash for an appliance comprising in combination an inverted U-shaped housing member, said end walls having inwardly extending flanges on the bottom edges thereof for mounting said member on the top of the appliance, an elongated control panel support member having a horizontal ledge extending between said flanges on the lower edge of said end walls and an upstanding portion extending across the lower section of the front opening of said U-shaped member, a rectangular frame member formed of elongated metal extrusions, each extrusion having an outer rearwardly extending leg and an inwardly extending rim,.said rim having opposed wa'lls defining a rearwardly opening groove in the rear face thereof and having opposed internal ridges and flutes on said walls extending lengthwise of said extrusion; said ridges and flutes being spaced to correspond to the threads of a screw and the ridges and flutes on the respective sides being offset from each other such that a flute on one side is opposed by a ridge on the other, a control panel positioned in said frame in abutting relation to the rear face of the rim of said extrusions, a support panel positioned behind said control panel and adapted to support control elements, said control panel and said support panel having notches in the edges thereof, screws extending forwardly through said notches and in threaded engagement m'th the ridges in said grooves of said extrusions, the bottom extrusion of said rectangular frame member being positioned in said upstanding portion of said support member and having a plurality of lengthwise slots, said panel support member having upstanding lugs spaced to enter said slots for holding the bottom of said frame in position relative to the front of said housing member, the top extrusion of said frame member having apertures in the leg thereof, screw fasteners passing through said apertures and threadably engaging said housing member for holding the top of said frame in position.

5. A control panel assembly for a domestic appliance comprising in combination a housing including top, bottom and end supporting members defining an open front side of said housing, a control panel having a plurality of notches in its marginal portions and overlying the open front side of said housing, a frame having top, bottom and end side members surrounding said control panel, said frame members having an inwardly extending rim portion overlying the front marginal portions of said panel and having a rearward'ly extending flange portion surrounding the edges of said panel, fastening means extending through said notches in said panel and into said rim portion of said frame for attaching said panel to said frame, means for slidingly interconnecting one of said frame members and a corresponding one of said supporting members, and fastening means for holding another of said frame members relative to its corresponding one of said supporting members and preventing disconnection of said sliding interconnection.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,797,925 3/1931 Plym 312l40 X 2,682,322 6/1954 Bloedow 189-36 2,907,419 10/1959 Klank 189-36 2,912,294 11/1959 Wells 312111 2,919,340 12/1959 Jacobs 312279 X 2,983,001 6/1961 Guldager 189-36 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

5. A CONTROL PANEL ASSEMBLY FOR A DOMESTIC APPLIANCE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A HOUSING INCLUDING TOP, BOTTOM AND END SUPPORTING MEMBERS DEFINING AN OPEN FRONT SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, A CONTROL PANEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF NOTCHES IN ITS MARGINAL PORTIONS AND OVERLYING THE OPEN FRONT SAID OF SAID HOUSING, A FRAME HAVING TOP, BOTTOM AND END SIDE MEMBERS SURROUNDING SAID CONTROL PANEL, SAID FRAME MEMBERS HAVING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING PIN PORTION OVERLYING THE FRONT MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID PANEL AND HAVING A REARWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE PORTION SURROUNDING THE EDGES OF SAID PANEL, FASTENING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID NOTCHES IN SAID PANEL AND INTO SAID RIM PORTION OF SAID FRAME FOR ATTACHING SAID PANEL TO SAID FRAME, MEANS FOR SLIDINGLY INTERCONNECTING ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS AND A CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS, AND FASTENING MEANS FOR HOLDING ANOTHER OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS RELATIVE TO ITS CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND PREVENTING DISCONNECTION OF SAID SLIDING INTERCONNECTION. 